


The witchcraft in your lips has me spellbound

by SiobhanMcG



Category: Holby City
Genre: But I tried- real life and actual work are a bitch, F/F, I am still already 4000 words behind on NaNo, I mean- whimsical stuff, More by me: a sappy gay, Not really practical magic but more inspired, Practical Magic AU, and a period from hell, i am weak, i couldnt help it, if only witchcraft could solve that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-29 13:22:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12631905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiobhanMcG/pseuds/SiobhanMcG
Summary: A short Practical Magic inspired one-shot starring our two favourite sapphic surgeons :)





	The witchcraft in your lips has me spellbound

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Regency](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Regency/gifts).



They had just been walking through Holby when it happened. It had been a cold Saturday in November and Serena had insisted on going out for the day to do some shopping and get a coffee together. Bernie hadn’t ever really been one for shopping, always flitting in and out of shops as fast and efficiently as possible, but seeing Serena enjoy herself made it an enjoyable activity as such. Their shoulders occasionally brushed as they walked down the pavement when Serena suddenly halted.   
  
“My scarf!” Bernie now noticed that the large red cashmere scarf was indeed no longer wrapped around Serena’s neck as Serena patted down her neck and coat, as if to test if it truly wasn’t there. “-must have left if at Costa’s.” She sighed.

Serena looked back in the direction of the café with an almost forlorn expression on her face - one possibly exaggerated by Bernie’s imagination - but she had been very fond of the scarf. It had been a birthday gift from Elinor bought in Milan and Serena had spent at least a  _ week _ prancing around in it, to everyone’s great amusement and later slight annoyance. Bernie, of course, cannot help but be affected by the way Serena pouts her lips and instantly offered to retrieve the scarf. When Serena objects that it’ll take ages and is cold, she rebuts that she hasn’t run this week anyway and she needs her weekly exercise. In truth, Bernie had run a solid 7k last night on her treadmill, but Serena needn’t know. The look in Serena’s eyes makes it all worth it and even more when she quickly pecks Bernie’s cheek. 

“You amazing woman.” Bernie’s knees quiver at the timbre of her voice as she smiles in return and sets off, jogging in the direction of the coffee shop. 

She can still feel her skin tingle where Serena’s lips brushed against it and an involuntary smile plays at her lips. However, the uneven pavement is covered in a thin layer of ice and as soon as she puts her feet down she regrets the decision to jog. In her distraction,she cannot catch herself and her foot slips forward together with her face. Her back seems to move in some weird direction it should not be moving in; mainly downwards. Just as she sees the very hard stones of a garden wall approaching her hands manage to grab the tall pole of the streetlight. Her heart is beating maniacally in her chest and Bernie can still feel her legs shake a little. A quick look at Serena makes the heat rise in her cheeks. Serena had obviously been concerned, but was now laughing at Bernie. Quirking an eyebrow telling her “ _ Told you so, didn’t I Miss Wolfe? _ ” Both are laughing now and Bernie finds herself enchanted with the way Serena’s lips curl and her eyes blaze. 

One day she would find the courage to tell Serena she swore to herself. Maybe next week, when they had their monthly fancy dinner planned? She’d consider it. They are still looking at each other when a sudden noise shatters the moment. 

  
Bernie turns her head and time stands still.

  
A few meters up the road a car speeds around the corner and drifts on the slippery road.

Bernie sees the car coming towards her, but for all her army reflexes she can do nothing but stare at the gleaming blue metal moving. Her eyes track the motion as the car inches towards her, yet her legs seem to be frozen to the spot.

The only motion she can will her body to make is to throw one final glance towards Serena; if this was happening she’d rather have Serena be the last thing she’d see. Serena’s face contorts in shock as she drops the bags and extends her hands towards Bernie. But Serena is too far away to possibly reach her in time, so all Bernie can do was watch and regret. Regret not telling Serena how she feels at least, letting her know how amazing and gorgeous she is and how loved; even if those feelings aren’t reciprocated. Bernie has now fully turned her head to take in her last sight of Serena. Secretly, she’s selfishly glad that her expression was one of care and concern, mixed with the oh-so Serena-like determination as she still charges towards Bernie. Although she also feels anguish, knowing Serena will see her get hit. Will be there when the ambulance arrives and will not be able to stop her mind from whirring as she waits and paces up and down the hospital corridor, visitor rather than a surgeon now. Bernie hopes Serena will be hoping for Bernie to make it out as well as possible- if at all. The car is going fast and coming straight for her, if she’s honest she knows she is wishing for a quick death. Serena is still coming towards Bernie, now more determined than ever. Her brow is set and her fingertips reaching desperately. She looks almost angry, but Bernie knows it’s pain and she feels sorry. Hopes she’ll still be there to crack Serena a painful smile when the anaesthetic wears out, presuming she’ll survive surgery...

  
Then time starts to move again.   
  


With the flick of Serena’s wrist and wriggle of her fingers, the car swerves away from her. 

If she hadn’t seen Serena’s determined stare or the subtle movements of her hand, Bernie might have written if off as sheer luck and another icy patch. But now she doesn’t. The car now comes to a scraping halt in the middle of the street, taking a small tree planted in the pavement with it, but no major damage has been done. Miraculously, even the driver seems to be alright and Bernie feels a shaky breath that she didn’t know she’d been holding leave her lips. Her eyes are still glued to the car when she feels, rather than sees, Serena reach her. The subtle smell of her perfume enters Bernie’s nose as Serena’s arms wrap around her.

“Home, please Bernie…” But Bernie is frozen to the spot, now staring blankly at Serena. “Now.” Then her legs get into motion.

Bernie doesn’t remember how they got to Serena’s house, only regaining normal mental functioning when she’s sat on Serena’s couch warming her shivering body. Serena seems to be as shaken as she is. They are sat on the couch in silence, Serena clasps Bernie’s hands in her own. She absentmindedly draws patterns inside Bernie’s palm with the pad of her thumb, not meeting Bernie’s eyes all the while.

She didn't want to push Serena into anything, but the silence filled the room like a thick sludge of melted snow and mud. With every second it became harder to wade through it as they drifted apart in silence. It was almost dripping off the walls as it threatened to swallow then both when Bernie couldn’t stand the suppressing silence any longer.

“Serena…?” Her voice quavers as she lifts her eyes up to Serena, who is still looking down at their joined hands.

“You saw.” It’s a statement; curt but betraying her nerves. Bernie only can only nod in return as she isn’t sure what to say or ask.

“The car, I-” Serena pauses, her eyes flitting about the room, whatever she’s wanting to say obviously difficult to speak. So Bernie decides she tries to help her.   
  
“You saved me.”

And then it all comes out. At first, Bernie struggles to believe her, but she had seen it with her own eyes after all. A  _ witch _ . Apparently, her best friend is not only an amazing surgeon with a Harvard MBA, but also a real-life, spell casting and lifesaving  _ witch _ . But most important, Serena is still the woman she had fallen in love with. Serena is struggling to hold back her tears and Bernie can’t help but cup her cheek in what is meant to be a comforting movement.   
  
“Bernie… Please say something?”   
  
Bernie’s head was still spinning with the story Serena had told her. About her family history and the curse- the whole New Orleans debacle. Serena gave Bernie the whole story about how her cousins and the broken curse. Then she went on to explain how her mother had taught her all she knew, small tricks like lighting candles, but also larger spells like altering shapes- or swerving cars, and just  _ magic.  _ Bernie just doesn’t know how to react and when she finally finds words, they’re not quite what she had hoped to find.

“Serena, it’s okay- Really.” The words didn’t seem to have their desired effect as Serena only seemed to shrink back into herself.   
  
“I- If you’d like to take some distance maybe, I’d understand. I presume it’s a shock finding out I’m-”   
  
“No.” It comes out louder and firmer than she intended. She tries again, softer this time “No, I don’t want to take distance. Witch or not, you’re still who you always were, my friend- my best friend even and I- I-” If Serena was brave enough to share, then so was she. “I love you.”   
  
Bernie wasn’t quite sure what prompted those words, the shock was still muddling her mind probably.

“I mean-” she stutters, “you don’t need to answer. I just thought that- well-” Words are now starting to mangle in her mouth and Bernie starts to fidget under Serena’s completely fixated gaze. But she soldiers on. “Since you shared something hard- no difficult… I thought I would as well, you know... Well no, actually I didn’t think at all.” She feels ashamed now. Serena shared a life-long secret, and while her feelings might go beyond a silly crush, it didn’t quite measure up. That, and this was a completely inappropriate moment to announce her feelings. “Forget it, I’m being a complete idiot. I’m so sorry.”    
  
She laughs nervously, fidgeting with her hands as suddenly everything seems uncomfortable; the slight sag of the couch, the prickly wool of her a jumper, the constricting fabric of her jeans, the slight sweatiness of her hands and the heat in her cheeks. Bernie makes to get up, not with a definite plan in mind, but to get some space. But she feels Serena pull her back down. Her eyes are wide as she stares at Bernie, and not for the first time Bernie finds herself wishing she were better at reading people. She can’t quite place Serena’s expression and her mind just draws a nervous blank. Serena’s mouth is opened slightly in surprise and her tongue flicks over her lips. Bernie can’t help but stare. Serena must be nervous, uncomfortable even as Bernie now notices her fiddle with the pendant on her necklace.   
  
“I’ve made you uncomfortable.” she concludes, “ I'm so sorry I-"  
  
“No.” Now Serena sounds resolute and Bernie looks up again, finding a pair of brown eyes with a strange intensity to them. Then she feels Serena’s lips on her own and responds before she well and truly processes what’s happening. Serena’s lips are impossibly soft and warm pressed against hers. Her breath hitch as they move apart and Bernie grabs Serena’s hand tighter in her own, shuffling closer together, before kissing Serena with renewed passion. She can feel herself drown in the feeling of the other woman’s lips and finds herself moaning softly when their tongues glide together. Bernie hadn’t known a simple kiss could feel this exciting as her nerve endings seem to be firing all at once, creating fireworks and sparks in her blood and making her heart beat almost painfully loud in her chest. The feeling is overwhelming and Bernie isn’t sure she’ll ever experience a feeling like this again in her life. But then Serena grabs her shoulder and pulls their bodies together, sparking an overwhelming lightheaded sensation in Bernie as their breasts are now pressed together and their hips are rubbing against each other. Serena shamelessly wraps her hands around Bernie’s waist and tugs at the fabric of her jumper. Having Serena there, in her arms was possibly the best feeling in the world, closely followed by a miraculous escape from death- or serious injury in the very least. Spurred on by the sudden adrenaline rush caused by the combined realisation that she was  _ alive and kissing Serena! _ Bernie slides her hand over Serena’s back to bury it deep in her hair as she deepens the kiss. The simple feeling of Serena’s body pressed against her own is tantalising and Bernie finds herself needing more of it now that she can finally indulge freely.

Both are panting when they pull apart again, desperate for air. Bernie finds she can’t help herself when she looks at Serena’s swollen lips and mussed up hair. She’s absolutely gorgeous and without intending to Bernie’s eyes track down to the blouse, where some buttons seem to have mysteriously sprung open.   
  
“You’re truly  _ enchanting. _ ” Bernie jokes   
  
Serena only smirks in reaction and with a snap of her fingers she closes curtains and dims the lights, before pushing Bernie down onto the couch.   


**Author's Note:**

> A short Practical Magic inspired AU for NaNoWriMo- which is already failing (I guess 1000 a day will have to do ey). I vaguely remembered something similar existing in the Corah-fandom, but couldn't find it anymore unfortunately :( If anyone knows what is was/who wrote it, let me know! I'd like to give that credit. So yeah, it's inspired on a film and another AU mixed together and written with the help of GinDiva who deserves some kudos for always helping out and proofreading whatever I write.


End file.
